Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Coolest site ever!!

Just found this great little site, Feeling Retro. If you were born sometime in the 60's, these toys should bring back some great memories. Some are especially poignant for me, including my best friend "Gunky" (I couldn't pronounce monkey).

I really had a great childhood (thanks Mom and Dad). Tons of friends, lots of toys, playing outside until it got dark in the summer, not afraid of being abducted - though we did have an urban myth back in the day (the mid-to-late 70's) about The Man In The Van, a guy who supposedly drove around in a white panel van looking for kids to steal. We spent hours outside, playing kickball, king of the mountain, war (with bb guns and cap guns - somehow, no one ever got really hurt) in the model homes being built in our sub-division. We were fit back then, well most of us, and even if we did get Atari later on, we still spent most of our time outdoors. Aaah, nostalgia!

I still remember everyone's names, 30 some years later - David Clinton, Chris Daniels, Trevor Evans, Rodney Speaks, Jeff Parker, Pat Cooper, Alex Lombardo (who moved to Hong Kong in the 4th grade), Jay Gholson. I remember being terrified of everyone's older brothers (especially Trevor's brother Brett - man, he was a sadistic SOB), though Jeff's brother Dwayne was like a big brother to most of us, looking out for us and making sure no one picked on us too much. We'd have sleep overs, with the inevitable "fart contests", which my baby brother inevitably won (he had the advantage of still wearing training pants, so if something more than methane came out, so be it)! Is there any wonder why boys and girls don't like each other when they're 7-10 years old? Though, I have to admit, I did have a crush on Jana Lauchenstrader (sp?) up the street, as well as Tammy Brandt, but I think we all had a crush on Tammy Brandt.

On Saturday mornings, Dad would make breakfast, and we'd run to the den and turn on the TV to watch "real cartoons", not thr 1/2 hour long commercials they have now. Then, we'd pile into the car (an aircraft carrier sized Chevy Impala Wagon! - I was oldest, so I always got the tailgunner seat) and head to either the library or drive into the city and visit the Smithsonian. Unless, of course, it was soccer season. And yep, I'm still playing.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Non-White Woman Missing

From the Allspinzone:

Missing Pregnant 25 YO Mother Alert (Non-White Division)
TO: Ms. Nancy Grace, Headline News / CNN Host

Dear Ms. Grace,

Latoyia Figueroa is still missing after 8 days. And as tragic as the Natalee Holloway case might be, Natalee doesn't have a seven year old child wondering where she is, nor was Natalee (to the best of our knowledge) 5 months pregnant.

Here's an overview of the important details in this “missing woman” case:

1) Latoyia (we should only use her first name) is not white.
2) She does not have blonde hair.
3) She was not scheduled to get married last weekend.
4) She's from West Philadelphia.
5) There may actually be a lead or two in her case.
6) HER UNBORN BABY, HER UNBORN BABY, HER UNBORN BABY.
7) To the best of our knowledge, no one from Texas has yet offered to bring in cadaver dogs to search for Latoyia, nor have forensic dive teams volunteered to scour the Schuylkill or Delaware rivers.
8 ) Also to the best of our knowledge, the FBI hasn't been requested to participate in the investigation (even though Philly actually is in the US of A), nor have any DNA samples been rushed to Washington, DC.
9) HER UNBORN BABY, HER UNBORN BABY, HER UNBORN BABY.

I hope this enough for you to run with - certainly, the crackerjack CNN research team available to you can fill in any speculative details or obscure leads of prurient interest. While it's doubtful that Latoyia's family can offer $100 reward, much less $1 million (as has Natalee's), I'm sure they'd still have an undying gratitude for any of your viewers who could turn up a lead on Latoyia.

Perfection

Just sitting here, listening to some tunes, and my favorite song of all time is playing. "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys. It's just perfect - the lyrics, the music, the harmonies. Everything about it works. It was on my list of songs to play at my wedding reception, but I don't think it got played.

Take a listen. You'll be happy you did.

One could only wish

Take a look at Sunday's Doonesbury.

Monday, July 25, 2005

Interesting take on Roberts

Here's an interesting look at SCOTUS nominee John Roberts from BagnewsNotes.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Today's lesson

This is for the self-righteous folks who love to quote scripture and tell us how to live our lives,complain about folks on welfare, and worship the almighty dollar:

And if your brother becomes poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or increase, but fear your God; that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. (Leviticus 25:35-38)

The community of believers were of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common. With power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great respect was paid to them all; nor was there anyone needy among them, for all who owned property or houses sold them and lay them at the feet of the apostles to be distributed to everyone according to his need. (Acts 4:32-35)

That's my boy!!

Just wanted to give a shout out to my baby brother and his band, Los Able Minded Poets. Their website is up an running. Check it out.

W's SCOTUS Nominee

So, W has finally picked a nominee for the Supreme Court. And the timing has nothing to do with the Rove story, right? Right. Anyway, the thing that jumps out at me about Roberts isn't his politics - did we really thing W would nominate another Thurgood Marshall - but rather this: He's only been a judge for 2 years!!! 2 friggin' years folks!! You can't tell me he's the most qualified person in this country to sit on the Supreme Court when he has next to no judicial experience. Damn, this is just ridiculous.

Monday, July 18, 2005

I'm back

From Canada, that is. I had a wonderful time - the FW's family is really awesome, and just as welcoming as her family in Ireland.

Canada is a beautiful country, at least the parts I saw (Ottawa, Kitchener/Waterloo and Goderich). Visiting Canada was a bit strange, I have to admit. Everything seemed familiar, but was just a bit off - enough to make you tilt your head a bit. Remember that Seinfeld episode when Elaine met the "Bizzarro Jerry"? It was like that. The 1st thing I noticed was the French radio stations and the bi-lingual road signs. It was also interesting to drive through small farm towns and see the Maple Leaf flying, when my brain was expecting to see the Stars and Stripes (or even the Stars and Bars - I'm a Virginian). There's also a general lack of pigment. Every time I saw another black face in Ottawa, we'd do the "Brother Nod" - the universal Black Man acknowledgement when there aren't too many of us around - seen most commonly on college campuses and hallways across corporate America. Stopping to eat in small diners in rural Ontario, I'd get a few looks, but mostly I was told because they're just not used to seeing a black face except on TV, not any "what the hell are you doing here" looks.

More on my Canuck travels later.

Monday, July 11, 2005

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!

So today it was 101 degrees in Ottawa (at least according to the thermometer in the car). Yikes!! We toured Parliement today and saw the changing of the guard. Very cool. Aunt Rita is something else! She's an 82 year old nun and has been running circles around us. I have no idea where she gets this energy! Yesterday, we arrived in Ottawa around 3:00 pm after driving from Syracuse. At 3:13, Aunt Rita had us back in the car, headed downtown. No time to rest, no sir! We had an agenda we had to keep. We had a great time yesterday - crossed the river into Quebec and went to the Museum of Civilization. Very cool. Later, we went back into Ottawa (after getting lost in Quebec looking for the new casino - Why can't they use English signs in Quebec? Had dinner at a Scottish pub, then went to the light and music show at Parliement. Very nice.

We have 7 hours of driving tomorrow as we head to Kitchener. More later.

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Almost there

We've stopped in Syracuse tonight on our way to Ottawa. It was a beautiful drive up 81 today, until we caught up with the storm that hit DC on Friday around Scranton.

Leaving early tomorrow AM, will write much more once we reach Ottawa.

Thursday, July 07, 2005


Canada, eh Posted by Picasa

Headed to Canada

The FW and I are headed to Canada tomorrow - driving from DC to Ottawa. Her father's family all live in Ontario, so we're going for a little family visit. I've never met this side of her family before - they're all pretty old and weren't able to come down for the wedding, except for Aunt Rita, who we're going to visit 1st in Ottawa. I'm bringing our laptop along, so I'll keep updating as we travel around Ontario. Should be pretty interesting.

Attack in London

As you're all aware, there was an attack in London this morning. Just got an e-mail from my friend Shona:

"Hey guys

Thank you, its mad. We're waiting in work at the
moment for the transport to start again to get home.

We knew it would happen at some point but its very
scary when it does.

S x."


For more 1st hand accounts of the attack, check out The Guardian's Blog.

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

For ECAG

I thought it was a wonderful gesture by the Yankees to erect a statue of Bernie Williams in centerfield.

Then I realized that WAS Bernie Williams.

Love ya, Denhardt!

Monday, July 04, 2005


Wahoowa! Posted by Picasa

The Declaration of Independence

In CONGRESS, July 4th, 1776.

The Unanimous Declaration of Independence of the thirteen united States of America.



When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, having its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient suffrance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their acts of pretended legislation.

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally, the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever:

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizen taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connection and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Happy Independence Day!! Posted by Picasa

Friday, July 01, 2005

It's gonna be a long summer

So today, Sandra Day O'Connor resigned from the Supreme Court. Folks, it's about to get really, really ugly. Will W do the sensible thing and nominate a moderate, much like O'Connor herself? Or will he give the wingnuts what they want, a hardline conservative? My heart tells me he'll do the right thing for the country and appoint a moderate. My brain says no effin' way he'll do that. Just what the country needs now, more hatred, from both sides. Yeah, I'm a liberal, but I don't agree lock-step with everything the Dems do. For instance, I think it's a mistake to make abortion rights such a huge issue. But then again, I'm a man and will never have to worry about getting pregnant, unless something extraordinary occurs in science (remember "Junior" with the Governator?). Yep, it's gonna be really ugly.

By the way, I can totally understand why Matthew Perry got hooked on Vicodin. I'm taking it now for the pain from having my 4 wisdom teeth pulled. The best way I can describe is that it's like living in a marshmallow. Totally, totally mellow and relaxed. Not a care in the world. I can still feel the pain, but it's like it's happening to someone else, not me. It's almost like an out of body experience. I've just taken my 1st of the day. I'm trying not to take too much, but the pain has won out this time. I only took 2 yesterday. The 1st night, I was eating them like candy. Can't wait until the pain goes away.